Proverbs 17-18

Proverbs 17

¹Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.

²A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and share his inheritance as one of the brothers.

³A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.

⁴A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

⁵He who mocks the poor insults their Maker; whoever gloats over calamity will not go unpunished.

⁶Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

⁷Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

⁸A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

⁹Whoever conceals an offense promotes love, but he who brings it up separates friends.

¹⁰A rebuke cuts into a man of discernment deeper than a hundred lashes cut into a fool.

¹¹An evil man seeks only rebellion; a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

¹²It is better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

¹³If anyone returns evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

¹⁴To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

¹⁵Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous— both are detestable to the LORD.

¹⁶Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?

¹⁷A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

¹⁸A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

¹⁹He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds his gate high invites destruction.

²⁰The one with a perverse heart finds no good, and he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

²¹A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.

²²A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

²³A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

²⁴Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

²⁵A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

²⁶It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.

²⁷A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.

²⁸Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps silent, and discerning when he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 18

¹He who isolates himself pursues selfish desires; he rebels against all sound judgment.

²A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions.

³With a wicked man comes contempt as well, and shame is accompanied by disgrace.

⁴The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

⁵Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.

⁶A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.

⁷A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

⁸The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

⁹Whoever is slothful in his work is brother to him who destroys.

¹⁰The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

¹¹A rich man’s wealth is his fortified city; it is like a high wall in his imagination.

¹²Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

¹³He who answers a matter before he hears it— this is folly and disgrace to him.

¹⁴The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?

¹⁵The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it out.

¹⁶A man’s gift opens doors for him, and brings him before great men.

¹⁷The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

¹⁸Casting the lot ends quarrels and separates strong opponents.

¹⁹An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰From the fruit of his mouth a man’s belly is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

²¹Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.

²³The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.

²⁴A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.